It was hard to miss the news on the weekend of March 8, 2025. Six hundred (600) acres of beautiful Pine Barrens land burned in what was easily the worst Pine Barrens fire in the past decade. The source for this devastating blaze? Embers carried off from the backyard firepit of a family making s’mores. So, thankfully, there was no malice involved in this sad event – which, besides seeing so many acres burn also saw at least two firefighters get seriously injured – but that doesn’t change the fact that this was an avoidable incident. There are a few different causes of this fire, both in the short term and in the long term, and this blog post aims to cover them in enough detail so we can answer the question: how do we stop the next fire, before it even starts?
Cause #1: Personal Behavior
While it might seem like common sense to avoid lighting fires in the Pine Barrens, it’s important also to be careful when lighting fires in one’s own backyard. Placing a screen over the fire is a good first step, as it helps block any embers that might leap into the air and be caught by the wind. We’ll return to the subject of the wind in a moment, but in this case it’s clear that the fire was started thanks to the wind. So, if you absolutely must have a backyard fire, keep an eye on the wind and aim for a calmer day. The same applies to humidity. Long Island has been in a state of drought for nearly half a year at this point, and thus it was primed for a massive fire. New York State has enacted a ban on the residential burning of brush until May 14th, but there’s no guarantee that this period of aridity will stop then. If Long Island is still dealing with a drought after the ban is lifted, please consider postponing your backyard bonfire until conditions make it far less likely that it will start a devastating inferno.
Cause #2: The Southern Pine Beetle
Over a decade out from their introduction, it would be a shock if you didn’t know at least a bit about the devastating Southern Pine Beetle. These irksome insects come from the New Jersey Pine Barrens and were likely carried to Long Island by a storm. What allowed them to stay was global climate change. A slight increase in the average temperature of Long Island meant that when the Southern Pine Beetles arrived, they found a climate that was just about identical to the New Jersey Pine Barrens. But, of course, since they’re an invasive species, the Long Island Pine Barrens was not ready for them. Ever since, they’ve been a constant force, besieging the characteristic Pitch Pine, killing numerous individuals and leaving large swaths of the forest desiccated. These dried out husks, and especially the needles they drop, are the perfect kindling, just begging to be set ablaze.
So, how do we stop these awful beetles? In the short term, there are teams from various bodies which proactively chop down infected trees and those surrounding them. When the trees are down, the beetles can’t move from one to the next, and so they’ll ultimately die on the forest floor. In the long run, though, it’s essential that we implement policies that reduce, if not outright reverse, the effects of climate change to ensure that these beetles and other invasive species can’t spread further.
Cause #3: The Wind
If you remember this weekend well enough, as well as the days preceding it, you’ll recall that there were some absolutely devastating winds, which reached higher than 30 mph at their worst. Besides enabling the fire’s start, these winds were the biggest culprit in causing its moment to moment spread. As soon as firefighters put out a blaze in one area, the wind carried the flames elsewhere and started the conflagration all over again. Obviously, there’s nothing that can be done to bring an end to fierce winds but ensuring that the Pine Barrens is healthier will ensure that it’s less susceptible to the most vicious fires. From the perspective of public safety, it’s also essential that we preserve more Pine Barrens land, as that creates a buffer between any potential fires and residential areas.
The Benefits of Fire
While the March 8th fire was especially devastating, in general, fire is actually a boon to the Pine Barrens. Dwarf pines and related species such as pitch pines, are adapted to positively respond to fire. Dwarf pinecones are serotinous, meaning they are naturally sealed with a resin-like substance that require heat from fire to open and release seeds. Then, there are epicormic buds, those little patches of needles you might see poking out of the trunk of a pitch pine. When the temperatures are sufficiently high (because of a fire) these buds are released and spread out, seeding future pitch pines in the surrounding area. Thus, fire ensures the longevity of the Pine Barrens for years to come by enabling the rapid reproduction of its staple tree species. Because of the pines’ relationship with fire, the Pine Barrens Commission and the DEC engage in prescribed burns which both improve the health of the ecosystem and allow for the clearing of dead trees that might otherwise be fuel for an uncontrolled wildfire.
It’s important to point out that the Pine Barrens is not exclusively a forested ecosystem, either, despite the name. Grasslands, such as those yet to be preserved at EPCAL, are in an earlier stage of ecological development, known as succession. After an ecological disaster (such as a massive wildfire) certain species are more inclined to settle into the devastated area first. Grasses precede trees, and thus grasslands are formed by fires. These habitats are then populated by species that prefer them to thick forests, and so in the case of the March 8th fire there is room to hope. Although the blaze was devastating, new life will emerge from the ashes, and with time, the ecosystem will return to its original state.
Though at the time of writing the March 8th fire was an accident, it was a horrific accident that should never have occurred. In harming both the local ecosystem and more than a few people, it made clear that Long Islanders need to be more responsible with fires. What was meant to be a fun evening in the backyard turned into 600 burned acres and two seriously injured firefighters, to say nothing of the dozens of departments who had to work day and night over the weekend to fight the blaze. Becoming a more cautious community and enacting policies to fight the root causes of this devastating fire (i.e. climate change) are crucial to ensure that no lives (human, animal, or plant) are needlessly lost moving forward. Please be sure to respect New York State’s burn ban, and remember to continue to practice responsible behavior after May 14th. Also remember that in general fire in the Pine Barrens is not something to be feared but embraced. Like storms, earthquakes, and tornadoes, these are natural phenomena that ecosystems are adapted to. But we humans must be careful that our mistreatment of the planet does not exacerbate these phenomena, or else we’ll have played the role of Dr. Frankenstein, creating monsters we can’t control, which could easily destroy us and all the things we love.
By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society
Cover photo by John Turner, LIPBS Board Member
